On-site dry silicone lubricant production

ABSTRACT

A dry silicone lubricant concentrate is mixed with a liquid on-site to manufacture a RTU dry silicone conveyor lubricant. The dry silicone lubricant concentrate is composed of a silicone emulsion with 1-99% silicone oil. In some embodiments, other components are added to the mixture to modify selected qualities and characteristics of the resultant dry silicone lubricant.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/691,054 filed Aug. 20, 2012, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present application relates to lubricants used in industrial processes and in particular to processes and methods of making silicone lubricants for use with conveyor belts and related machinery.

BACKGROUND

Dry silicone lubricants have a number of industrial uses. For example, dry silicone lubricants are used as conveyor lubricants in the beverage industry. These dry silicone lubricants are typically sold as ready-to-use (RTU) products. Often, they are used in relatively small amounts to form a lubricant film on a conveyor. The use of dry silicone lubricants helps to substantially reduce or eliminate the dangers of wet floor hazards from the use of water-based or water-intensive lubricants. Further, use of dry silicone lubricants reduces water costs and sewage costs as well as reducing chemical waste.

Nevertheless, dry silicone lubricants can be expensive (in particular when compared to certain water-based lubricants), and the formation of biofilm from dry lubricants on a conveyor surface (for example) presents certain challenges. Therefore, a need is felt for a way to reduce the costs associated with the use of dry silicone lubricants and for dealing with problems associated with biofilm formation.

In the current state of the art, U.S. Pat. No. 7,371,712, assigned to Ecolab Inc., of Saint Paul, Minn., discloses methods wherein the passage of a container along a conveyor is lubricated by applying to the container or conveyor a mixture of a water-miscible silicone material and a water-miscible lubricant. The mixture can be applied in relatively low amounts and with relatively low or no water content, to provide thin, substantially non-dripping lubricating films. In contrast to dilute aqueous lubricants, the lubricants of the invention provide drier lubrication of the conveyors and containers, a cleaner conveyor line and reduced lubricant usage, thereby reducing waste, cleanup and disposal problems.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,592,296, assigned to JohnsonDiversey, Inc., of Sturtevant, Wisconsin, discloses conveyor track lubricant composition and methods comprising use of siloxane oil and a spreading agent, such as a trisiloxane spreading agent. The lubricant compositions may also contain biocide materials and stress crack resistance materials.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,915,206, assigned to Ecolab Inc., discloses a method for lubricating the passage of a container along a conveyor passage of a container along a conveyor that is lubricated by applying to the container or conveyor a composition comprising a water-miscible silicone material wherein the composition has good wetting to polyethylene terephthalate surfaces. The compatibility of the lubricating composition with polyethylene terephthalate is increased because the wetting of the composition to polyethylene terephthalate is improved.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,211,838, assigned to Ecolab Inc., discloses methods in which the passage of a container along a conveyor is lubricated by applying to the container or conveyor a lubricant composition comprising a water-miscible silicone material having a silicone emulsion wherein the silicone emulsion contains less than 500 ppm of a triethanolamine salts of alkyl benzene sulfonic acid compounds.

WO 2009/120768, filed by JohnsonDiversey, Inc., discloses a method of lubricating a conveyor belt wherein a lubricant concentrate containing at least one oil is employed in a dry lubrication process. Afterwards, a liquid composition having a pH value=5 is applied to the surface of the conveyor belt on which the lubricant concentrate has been applied earlier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an example embodiment of making a lubricant.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Disclosed herein are processes and methods for using dry silicone lubrication in industrial processes, wherein a dry silicone lubricant concentrate is mixed with a liquid on-site to manufacture a RTU dry silicone conveyor lubricant. The dry silicone lubricant concentrate is composed on a silicone emulsion with 1-99% silicone oil. In some embodiments, other components are added to the mixture to modify selected qualities and characteristics of the resultant dry silicone lubricant.

In some embodiments a lubricant to apply on machinery comprises: a dry silicone lubricant concentrate including a silicone emulsion with 1-99% silicone oil; and a liquid to add to the dry silicone lubricant concentrate to form a dry silicone lubricant. In some embodiments, the dry silicone lubricant concentrate includes a wetting agent. In some embodiments, the dry silicone lubricant concentrate includes a lubricating agent. In some embodiments, the lubricating agent includes glycerin. In some embodiments, the wetting agent comprises water. In some embodiments, the wetting agent comprises a material selected from the group consisting of paramagnetic water, electrochemical activated water, ultra-pure water, low zeta potential water, micro-oxygenated water, water containing nanobubbles, bio-magnetized water, demagnetized water, and R.O. water.

Additional aspects and advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein are processes and methods for using a dry silicone lubrication to use in industrial processes. Some example embodiments provided herein are processes and methods of making silicone lubricants for use with conveyor belts and related machinery.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example flowchart in which a dry silicone lubricant concentrate 20 and a liquid 24 are mixed in a step 30 to produce a dry silicone lubricant which is applied to a conveyor or machinery in a step 34.

In some example embodiments, a dry silicone lubricant concentrate is mixed with a liquid on-site to manufacture a RTU dry silicone lubricant, to use for example, with a conveyor. The dry silicone lubricant concentrate is composed on a silicone emulsion with 1-99% silicone oil. In some embodiments, other components are added to the mixture to modify selected qualities and characteristics of the resultant dry silicone lubricant. For example, in some embodiments, a lubricity component, such as glycerin or oils, is added to modify the lubricity of the resultant dry silicone lubricant. In some embodiments, a wetting agent is added to modify the wettability of the resultant dry silicone lubricant. In some embodiments, a surfactant is added to modify the cleanability of the resultant dry silicone lubricant.

In an embodiment, the liquid added to the dry silicone lubricant concentrate to produce the resultant dry silicone lubricant comprises water in some form, including but not limited to, paramagnetic water, electrochemical activated (EAC) water, ultra-pure water, low zeta potential water, micro-oxygenated water, water containing nanobubbles, bio-magnetized water, demagnetized water, or R.O. water. In some example embodiments, the liquid added to the dry silicone lubricant concentrate to produce the resultant dry silicone lubricant comprises a biocide solution, including, for example, sodium hypochlorite, dissolved chloride dioxide (RTU solution), or stabilized chlorine dioxide.

In an embodiment, the dry silicone lubricant concentrate is diluted using a dosing system.

Some of the example embodiments provided herein addresses and answers a felt need for a way to reduce the costs associated with the use of dry silicone lubricants and a felt need for dealing with problems associated with biofilm formation.

While the present application has described certain embodiments in detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional modifications may readily appear to those skilled in the art. The claimed subject matter in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general concept. 

1. A lubricant to apply on machinery, comprising: a dry silicone lubricant concentrate including a silicone emulsion with 1-99% silicone oil; and a liquid to add to the dry silicone lubricant concentrate to form a dry silicone lubricant.
 2. The lubricant of claim 1 wherein the dry silicone lubricant concentrate includes a wetting agent.
 3. The lubricant of claim 1 wherein the dry silicone lubricant concentrate includes a lubricating agent.
 4. The lubricant of claim 3 wherein the lubricating agent includes glycerin.
 5. The lubricant of claim 1 wherein the liquid comprises water.
 6. The lubricant of claim 1 wherein the liquid comprises a material selected from the group consisting of paramagnetic water, electrochemical activated water, ultra-pure water, low zeta potential water, micro-oxygenated water, water containing nanobubbles, bio-magnetized water, demagnetized water, R.O. water, sodium hypochlorite, dissolved chloride dioxide, and stabilized chlorine dioxide.
 7. The lubricant of claim 1 wherein the liquid comprises a biocide solution.
 8. The lubricant of claim 1 wherein the dry silicone lubricant concentrate is diluted using a dosing system.
 9. The lubricant of claim 1 wherein the dry silicone lubricant prevents biofilm formation.
 10. A method of making a lubricant to apply on machinery, comprising: providing a dry silicone lubricant concentrate including a silicone emulsion with 1-99% silicone oil; and applying a liquid to the dry silicone lubricant concentrate to form a dry silicone lubricant.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the dry silicone lubricant concentrate includes a wetting agent.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the dry silicone lubricant concentrate includes a lubricating agent.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the lubricating agent includes glycerin.
 14. The method of claim 10 wherein the liquid comprises water.
 15. The method of claim 10 wherein the liquid comprises a material selected from the group consisting of paramagnetic water, electrochemical activated water, ultra-pure water, low zeta potential water, micro-oxygenated water, water containing nanobubbles, bio-magnetized water, demagnetized water, R.O. water, sodium hypochlorite, dissolved chloride dioxide, and stabilized chlorine dioxide.
 16. The method of claim 10 wherein the liquid comprises a biocide solution.
 17. The method of claim 10 wherein the dry silicone lubricant concentrate is diluted using a dosing system.
 18. The method of claim 10 wherein the dry silicone lubricant prevents biofilm formation. 